0 View Gallery View Comments After more than a century as one of the area's premier tourist attractions, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway's future is in doubt. The railway, which has shuttled generations of visitors on breathtaking, 8.9-mile trips to the summit of Pikes Peak and back, won't reopen this spring after several months of maintenance, and it could remain closed for up to three years while its owner, The Broadmoor hotel, studies its fate, hotel President and CEO Jack Damioli said Tuesday. After that process, it might be rebuilt or might never reopen, he said. "We want to run a five-star, five-diamond operation, including the railroad," Damioli said of the hotel and amenities. "We need to take a look at the next step." Related: Timeline of Pikes Peak Cog Railway The railway, whose system of cog wheels mesh with a special center "rack" rail that allows the train to climb much steeper grades than traditional trains, has operated safely since it opened in 1891, Damioli said. But hotel officials have determined the railroad - including its aging infrastructure and equipment - "has run its useful life," he said. As a result, and because relatively few such railways exist in the world, hotel officials have launched a review of the Cog Railway that could take two to three years. "We are looking at either a complete closure or a complete rebuild and replacement of the engines, cars, track and even potentially the depot," Damioli said. "I hope something in between is where we arrive. But first we have to explore the opportunity and get feedback from all of the stakeholders." Manitou Springs - the railway's starting point - and its businesses, Colorado Springs and El Paso County, the U.S. Forest Service and area tourist attractions are among those stakeholders, he said. The Cog Railway is one of only two in the country; the other is in New Hampshire. "We are the tallest in the world, and there are only 40 in the world," Damioli said. "All of the people with Continue Reading

0 View Gallery View Comments In marking its 100th anniversary this year, The Broadmoor joins a small group of local businesses that have made it to the century mark - and beyond. The oldest of those businesses, reaching back to the earliest days of Colorado Springs, have survived two world wars. The Great Depression. The Great Recession. - Some have had to rebuild. And then rebuild again. There have been ownership changes. Location changes. - "I don't really think people realize how difficult it is to get to be 100 years old," said Mike Trapp, owner of Olson Plumbing and Heating, as he discussed the company's 100th anniversary last year. "Everything that goes on affects you." - Here is a look at some area businesses that are stalwart members of the century club. The Gazette The newspaper's history dates back to Colorado Springs founder Gen. William Jackson Palmer's creation of Out West in 1872. Out West became The Weekly Gazette a year later, then The Daily Gazette in 1878. After a series of owners, the morning paper was sold in 1906 to Clarence Dodge, who also bought the Colorado Springs Telegraph, an evening newspaper. Decades of ownership by the Hoiles family began when family members purchased the two newspapers in 1946. A combined evening/Sunday Gazette Telegraph began publishing a year later. The morning edition was discontinued but returned in 1977; a decade later, the afternoon edition was dropped. In 1997, the newspaper dropped Telegraph from its name, becoming The Gazette. The Anschutz Corp.'s Clarity Media Group has owned The Gazette since late 2012. Related: These iconic places in Colorado Springs are gone ... and we miss them (Another long-lived publication is The Daily Transcript, which launched in 1907 with general local news and such items as summaries of county clerk documents and railroad timetables. It is now The Transcript, published three times a week by the Colorado Springs Business Journal.) Cave of the Winds The caves at Cave of Continue Reading

Photo by Contributed Photo /Times Free Press. Outside Magazine's 2015 "Best Towns Ever" 1. Chattanooga, Tenn.: "(It's) like the love child of Nashville and Silicon Valley." 2. Port Angeles, Wash.: "Port Angeles is a gateway to Olympic National Park." 3. Iowa City, Iowa: "Unlike Boulder (Colo.), it's affordable." 4. Eau Claire, Wis.: "What sets Eau Claire apart is its music scene." 5. Glenwood Springs, Colo.: "A laid-back outpost of 10,000 some 160 miles west of Denver." 6. Athens, Ga.: "A robust party scene, and cycling on endless farm roads." 7. Flagstaff, Ariz.: "The high desert is prized by athletes." 8. Beaufort, S.C.: "Think of coastal 'Gone With the Wind.'" 9. Pagosa Springs, Colo.: "A microcosm of authentic Colorado." 10. Boone, N.C.: " Dominated by students and other people making the most of the lifestyle." Source: Outside Magazine, Aug. 2015 For Chattanoogans, 2015 will be remembered as the best of times and the worst of times. Just weeks after finishing in first place in Outside Magazine's "2015 Best Town Ever" contest in early June, Chattanooga was in the national spotlight again, this time for a deadly July 16 shooting spree by a gunman that resulted in the deaths of five servicemen. The shooter was killed by police. Although polar opposites in both tone and news value, the two stories will forever be embedded in the city's collective memory as contrasting historical artifacts from the summer of 2015. Things came full circle in late July when representatives of Port Angeles, Wash. — second-place finishers in the Best Town Ever contest — traveled to Chattanooga to deliver 20 banners signed its residents expressing sorrow about the July shootings. Leslie Robertson, who lives in the Washington town 2,600 miles from the Scenic City, said Port Angeles residents immediately wanted to reach out to Chattanooga after the killings, and settled on the signed banners as a way to express condolences. "We really wanted to think of Continue Reading

0 View Comments The Colorado Springs hotel industry kept its winning streak alive in January with the occupancy rate edging higher for a third consecutive month after five months of declines, according to the Rocky Mountain Lodging Report. The 51.3 percent rate last month rose from 50.4 percent in January 2017 and was the highest rate for the month since at least 2000. The occupancy rate also increased from a year earlier in November and December after falling each month from June through October. The average room rate for January also increased 3.8 percent from January 2017 - to $96.15 - continuing a trend of increasing room rates every month since May 2016. Doug Price, CEO of the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the U.S. "economy is still strong and people are still traveling. Effective year-round marketing and a positive national 'vibe' about Colorado Springs appear to be keeping local visitation at a high level. Hotel rates are still rising generally, which indicates continued demand." He said occupancy levels are not expected to continue rising as several new hotels are under construction, which will push occupancy rates lower and slow room rate increases. However, Price noted that recent renovations at several full-service hotels, including The Antlers and Embassy Suites, and remodeling underway at others should help fill rooms. Statewide, hotel occupancy fell in January to 58.2 percent from 59 percent in January 2017 and the average room rate edged up 1.8 percent to $168.33. Occupancy declines in the Denver area and at Colorado's ski resorts, where nearly three-fourths of the state's hotel rooms are located, more than offset gains in the rest of the state. The Broadmoor and Cheyenne Mountain Resort are not included in the totals for Colorado Springs, but are part of a separate category - "other resorts" - with many of the state's ski areas. The occupancy rate for that category in January fell to 57.2 percent from 60.2 percent in Continue Reading

0 View Comments The Colorado Springs hotel industry kept its winning streak alive in January with the occupancy rate edging higher for a third consecutive month after five months of declines, according to the Rocky Mountain Lodging Report. The 51.3 percent rate last month rose from 50.4 percent in January 2017 and was the highest rate for the month since at least 2000. The occupancy rate also increased from a year earlier in November and December after falling each month from June through October. The average room rate for January also increased 3.8 percent from January 2017 - to $96.15 - continuing a trend of increasing room rates every month since May 2016.Doug Price, CEO of the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the U.S. "economy is still strong and people are still traveling. Effective year-round marketing and a positive national 'vibe' about Colorado Springs appear to be keeping local visitation at a high level. Hotel rates are still rising generally, which indicates continued demand."He said occupancy levels are not expected to continue rising as several new hotels are under construction, which will push occupancy rates lower and slow room rate increases. However, Price noted that recent renovations at several full-service hotels, including The Antlers and Embassy Suites, and remodeling underway at others should help fill rooms.Statewide, hotel occupancy fell in January to 58.2 percent from 59 percent in January 2017 and the average room rate edged up 1.8 percent to $168.33. Occupancy declines in the Denver area and at Colorado's ski resorts, where nearly three-fourths of the state's hotel rooms are located, more than offset gains in the rest of the state.The Broadmoor and Cheyenne Mountain Resort are not included in the totals for Colorado Springs, but are part of a separate category - "other resorts" - with many of the state's ski areas. The occupancy rate for that category in January fell to 57.2 percent from 60.2 percent in January Continue Reading

0 View Comments A second-of-its-kind celebration of the region's outdoors will have a first-of-its-kind flair. On March 15, in Colorado Springs' downtown City Auditorium, six gubernatorial candidates will sound off on issues related to the Front Range's natural escapes, including access and impact amid rising demand. Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne, Noel Ginsburg and Erik Underwood are the Democratic candidates scheduled to attend the Q&A forum. Steve Barlock, co-chairman of President Donald Trump's Colorado campaign, is expected to be joined by Republican hopeful Greg Lopez, while Bill Hammons of the Unity Party is set to round out the lineup. Related: Familiar Colorado Springs leader taking charge of Ring the Peak State of the Outdoors will be put on by the nonprofit Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance, comprised of business owners and stewards of the environment who were largely pleased by Gov. John Hickenlooper's two terms. He leaves office having helped lure to Colorado the industry's premier and politically minded expo, Outdoor Retailer, which made its Denver debut last month. Hickenlooper also launched the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office in 2015, becoming the second to form such an arm in state government. That office's director, Luis Benitez, has described the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance as the shining example of collaborations he wants to see take root in all corners of the state. "You hear people say, 'Well, the governor can't really do much legislatively.' But look at what Gov. Hickenlooper has been able to accomplish in this arena," said Becky Leinweber, the alliance's executive director. "There are a number of ways the governor can be involved to support and boost the outdoor recreation economy. So it does matter, it definitely does matter." Last year's first State of the Outdoors saw nonprofit and for-profit representatives as well as land managers and city decision makers gather for their interest in the Colorado industry Continue Reading

0 View Gallery View Comments The Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau has begun distributing its 2018 Vacation Planner, a free 84-page guide it publishes with the Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association that includes information on local attractions and activities. The planner includes sections on Olympic-related activities and places to visit, food, culture, shopping, family activities and resources for visitors and is available at visitcos.com, the bureau's Visitor Information Center, 515 S. Cascade Ave., and in hotels, attractions, visitor centers and airport throughout Colorado as well as selected locations in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington. Related: Colorado's top 5 peaks, according to legendary mountaineer Gerry Roach Continue Reading

0 View Comments Hotel bookings remained flat last year compared with 2016, but rates rose by the biggest percentage in 10 years, according to the Rocky Mountain Lodging Report. The occupancy rate in local hotels remained at 69.4 percent in 2017, the report said. The 2016 rate was the highest since 1997 and represented one of the industry's best years during the past three decades. Last year's totals came despite six months of declining occupancy. However, the industry finished the year strong with back-to-back gains in the final two months, including a 48.3 percent occupancy rate in December - the highest occupancy for that month since at least 2000. Rather than focusing on filling rooms, hotels tried to get a higher rate to fill the same number of rooms, said Doug Price, CEO of the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. As a result, the average room rate increased 7.1 percent from 2016, to $114.48 - the biggest percentage gain since 2007. "Everybody loves to grow occupancy, but to do that you have to sacrifice your room rate. Last year, hotels were able to maintain occupancy and grow their average rate, which is ideal," Price said. "The previous year was just tremendous, so for 2017 to match the occupancy rate and still have the average rate increase significantly speaks to the overall strength of the market from both the business and leisure standpoint." Related: Two more hotels planned for Colorado Springs' fast-growing north side Price and Ann Alba, president of the Pikes Peak Lodging Association, said they expect the industry to continue its momentum this year, helped by the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament at The Broadmoor hotel and the hotel's 100th anniversary celebration, both in June. Price said he isn't worried about next year but is putting his efforts into a 10-year plan to attract more visitors as competition from other tourism destinations intensifies. The bureau has hired Vancouver, Canada-based Intervistas Consulting LLC to help it Continue Reading

0 View Comments The Colorado SpringsCVB is leading the effort to develop a comprehensive Destination Master Plan and invites the public to participate by taking a brief survey that can be found atVisitCOS.com/dmp. The Destination Master Plan is a long-term view on how to improve the visitor experience for Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region, thereby generating economic benefits for the destination. The plan is intended to ensure that Colorado Springs will have the necessary attributes to compete in the future for talent, investment and business. The project, conducted byInterVISTAS, will seekextensive community input from businesses, residents and visitors through the public survey, one-on-one interviews, themed focus groups and a visioning workshop. The results will be made public mid-June. As Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region continue to surge in development, housing, visitors and residents, it’s imperative to have an integrated plan as the community moves forward. TheCVB has conducted a variety of research and studies over the past few years that have led to this capstone project that will best formulate a plan for the region’s future. CVB president & chief executive officer, Doug Price, says the project seeks to answer a variety of questions. “How will we share the Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak region story? What will visitors and residents experience? How can we all work together for a better future and to let the world know we are Olympic City USA?” Price encourages all citizens to let their voice be heard through the survey and stresses, “now is the time for all facets of the community to come together to chart the course for the next 10 years.” Hundreds of organizations in aviation, transportation and tourism have sought the expertise of InterVISTAS to provide insight that can lead to better marketing, investment and policy decisions. The project has been funded Continue Reading

0 View Comments The economic picture in the Colorado Springs area was a bright one in 2017, with unemployment falling below 3 percent and home sales and homebuilding still on a roll. Will the good times continue in 2018? Barring an unexpected national downturn or a geopolitical issue rattling the economy, "I think 2018 looks really quite strong," says Tatiana Bailey, director of the UCCS Economic Forum. "We're in such a good position because before, Colorado Springs would be happy to be on the coattails of what was going well nationally. Now we seem to be a little bit better than what occurs in the nation." Related: Better times ahead in 2018 for Colorado Springs' commercial market, forecast says Tom Binnings, a senior partner in Colorado Springs economic research and consulting firm Summit Economics, expects the economy to "cool down slightly" in 2018. He cites labor shortages, rising interest rates and a possible correction in a surging stock market as issues. Here's a look at various areas of the economy as the new year beckons. Employment Colorado is expected to add 47,100 jobs in 2018, or 1.8 percent growth, according to the Colorado Business Economic Outlook 2018 released by the University of Colorado at Boulder's Leeds School of Business. That's slower than the last couple of years but still in the top 10 nationally. The unemployment rate for the Colorado Springs area in October rose to 3.2 percent - its highest level since February - while payroll growth slowed to a five-year low. Still, the local jobless rate in October was nearly a full percentage point below the national rate of 4.1 percent. Bailey, pointing to other indicators such as job postings, remains "pretty bullish" about the employment picture, at least for the first half of 2018. She expects the jobless rate during that time "to stay at or below the natural rate of unemployment." But she warns job growth will be constrained by the lack of qualified labor in areas from homebuilding to Continue Reading